Shell-fish opener.



I no 838,104. PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906.

P. GORMAN. SHELLFISH 0mm.

APPLICATION IILED 00110. 1906.

By I I m K A TTORNEYS WITNESSES. 25' I fNI ENTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SHELL-FISH OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application filed October 10,1906- Serial No. 338,329

, ful Shell-Fish Opener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for opening bivalved mollusca-such as oysters,

clams, and the likeand it is more particu-v larly an improvement u on the device described by me in an app 'cation filed in the United States Patent Ofiice on March 15, 190 Serial N 0. 306,281.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having a rotatable and longitudinally-movable opening-chisel,

the same being provided with means for automatically cleaning it prior to its insertion into the mollusk and subsequent to its removal therefrom.

Another object is to provide simple means for facilitating the adjustment of the opener to mollusca of different sizes and for binding the adjustable member of the opener so as to enable the same to resist any pressure to which it may be subjected.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of the invention.

7 In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, showing the parts in position to be adjusted. Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation and showing the positions of the parts when the lunger or chisel is projected forward, and ig. 3 is a plan view of the device with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1. I

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 is a base having a longitudinallydis osed raised portion 2 adjacent one) end and provided with ratchet-teeth 3. A stationary jaw 4 is bolted or otherwise secured to the other end portion of the base and has an inclined shoulder 5 upon its inner face. A slot 6 is formed longitudinally within the base between the toothed portion 2 and the jaw 4, and slidably mounted within this slot is a tongue 7, extending downward from a movable jaw 8. Shoulders 9 are formed by the base of this jaw 8 and bear upon the base 1, and a strip 10, preferably of heavy spring metal, is secured to the lower face of the tongue 7 and serves to hold the same within the slot 6.

A tube 11 is secured to or formed with the upper portion of the jaw 8 and extends rearwardly therefrom, and this tube has a slot 12 therein, one end portion of which extends lon gitudinally ofthe tube, while the remainder of the slot extends forward and partly around said tube. This slot constitutes a guide for a roller 13, which extends from and is-connected to a cylindrical plunger 14, the forward end of which is beveled, so as to produce an edge 15 and give the lunger the appearance of a chisel. When t e roller 13 is in the longitudinal portion of slot 12, the chisel edge is disposed parallel with the base, and it is obvious that by pushing the plunger forward the roller in s 0t 12 will cause it to partly rotate and bring the edge 15 at right angles to the base, as shown in Fig. 2.

Collars 16 are secured to the rear end of the plunger, and loosely mounted between them is a cross-head 17, having links 18, pivotally connected to the ends thereof. A pivot-pin 19 connects the free ends of the links and constitutes a bearingfor disks 20. This pin also constitutes the fulcrum of a lever 21, which is interposed between the disks. The lower end of the lever 21 projects between and is pivotally connected to the rear ends of arms 22, which are pivoted to the jaw 8, These ends of the arms have fingers 23, adapted to bear upon and engage the teeth 3. The normal distance between the bottom of the base 1 and the pivot 19 is normally less than that between the bottom of the base and the pivotal connection betweenthe links 18 and the cross-head 17. As a result of this arrangement the lever 21 whenever swung forward will cause the links 18 to press upward as well as forward on the cross-head 17 and slightly tilt the jaw 8, so as to cause it to bind upon the base 1, as shown in Fig. 2. When the fingers 23 engage one of the teeth 3 and lever 21 is swung forward, .the lower pivot of said lever becomes the fulcrum, and the plunger 14 is pushedforward and rotated in the manner described, so that should a mollusk be in position on the shoulder 5 and in front of the head 15 said edge will be forced between the shells and will spread them apart. Should it be desired to adjust the jaw 8, it is merely necessary to swing the lever 21 downward, so as to bring the disks into contact with the teeth 3, as shown in Fig. 1. Said disks will then act as rollers, and the lever, sliding jaw, and connections can obviously be moved along the base into any desired position. As soon as the lever is swung upward the fingers 23 will-move into engagement with a tooth, the disks will move out of contact with the teeth, and the plu'n ger 14 will move forward.

In order that the plunger may be properly cleaned before and after entering the mollusk, a spring scraping device is connected to the sliding jaw. bail-shaped spring-Wire 24, the end portions of which are coiled around laterally-extending lugs 25 on the jaw 8, and integral with these coils are parallel spring-arms 26,which extend forward from the jaw and terminate in depending fingers 27. These fingers are adapted' to press against the sides of the plunger, while the bailshaped portion 24 rests upon the upper portion of the plunger. The rear ends of the arms 26 bear on the jaw 8, so as to hold the bail-shaped portion 24 in contact with the plunger. Another bail-like scraping member 28 extends under the plunger 14 and is coiled around the lugs 25 and has inturned ends 29, which overlap the front face of the jaw 8. The head of the plunger is adapted to lie between the scraping members 24, 27, and 28, and itis obvious that when said plunger is pushed forward or drawn backward these members will spread apart or spring together, so as to at all times contact with the plunger and scrape therefrom any matter which mayadhere to it.

It will be seen that this device is very simple and efficient and can be easily adjusted to mollusca of different sizes simply by manipulating the plunger-actuating lever. By roviding a sliding jaw which is capable of ti ting to a slight extent the same will be caused to bind on the base and can therefore resist any backward pressure which may be exerted thereagainst by an object in front thereof.

The preferred form of the invention has been set forth in the foregoing description; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is- 1. The combination with a base having a fixed jaw and a toothed portion; of a slidable jaw upon the base, a tooth-engaging device carried by the jaw, a plunger in said slidable jaw, a plunger-actuating lever pivoted to the tooth-engaging device, and means carried by This device consists of a the lever for riding upon the teeth when the tooth-engaging device is removed therefrom.

2. The combination with a base having a toothed portion and a fixed jaw; of a slidable jaw upon the base, a plunger mounted there in, means upon the slidable jaw for engaging a tooth to hold the jaw against movement in one direction, a plunger-actuating lever pivotally connected to said means, and a rotatable disk carried by the lever and adapted to ride upon the toothed portion.

3. The combination with a base having a fixed jaw; of an adjustable jaw upon the base, means carried thereby for engaging the base, a plunger within the slidable jaw, a lever for actuating the same, and means operated by the movement of the lever in one direction for removing the base-engaging means from said base.

4. The combination with a base having a fixed jaw; of an adjustable jaw upon the base, means carried thereby for engaging the base, a plunger within the slidable jaw, a lever for actuating the same, and a disk movable with the lever and adapted to ride upon the base and support the base-engaging means out of contact with the base.

5. The combination with a base having a fixed jaw; of a tiltable jaw slidably mounted 011 the base, a base-engaging device carriedby said jaw, a plunger carried by the jaw, a plunger-actuating lever connected to the base-engaging means and adapted to tilt the aw.

6. The combination with a base having a fixed jaw; of a tiltable jaw slidably mounted on the base, a base-engaging device carried by the jaw, a plunger carried by the jaw, a plunger-actuating lever connected to the base-engaging means and adapted to tilt the jaw, and a rotatable device carried by the lever and adapted to travel upon the base and to support the base-engaging means out of contact with the base.

7. The combination with a fixed and a movable jaw and a rotatable plunger within the movable jaw; of resilient scraping devices bearing upon the plunger.

8. In a device of the character described the combination with a jaw, a plunger therein, and means for reciprocating and partly rotating the plunger; of a resilient scraping device connected to the jaw and bearing upon all faces of the plunger.

9. In a device of. the character described the combination with a jaw, a plunger therein, and means for reciprocating and partly rotating the plunger; of oppositelydisposed spring scraping members connected to the jaw and bearing upon opposite portions of the plunger.

10. In a device of the character described the combination with a jaw, a plunger there- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature 10 in the presence of two Witnesses.

HORACE PFOUTS GORMAN.

Witnesses:

E. J. GoRMLEY, JOHN WILHELM. 

